The Guide: Style

The Mulberry Richmond briefcase, the

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STYLE

OBSESSION OF THE MONTH

The Mulberry Richmond Briefcase

SINCE ITS LAUNCH in the 1970s in rural Somerset, southwest England, the leather company Mulberry has remained conservative--judging by the tough, quality leathers it uses and the robust construction it employs--but its design sensibility has always been progressive. Newly revitalized under design director Stuart Vevers and opening new stores this fall in both New York and L. A., Mulberry is earning new respect as a source of classic, not obvious, products. In the case of the Richmond-style briefcase shown here, Vevers used a thick, low-shine leather for a simple and classic-looking case with two inner folio pockets and long buckled straps. The quality and stiffness of the leather mean it will hold its shape, improve with age, and last until you get to shove your retirement gift in it.

Leather briefcase ($1,195) by Mulberry.

< THIS MONTH IN POCKETS Thomas Pink has solved a problem few people knew they had. They call it the "Mogul." It's a dress shirt whose pocket has been divided into two and pleated specifically to accommodate a cigar--from a cigarillo to the most gigante of Coronas. For those moguls who don't smoke, the pocket can also store a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck, a pack of Rolos, or one's sense of modesty. Egyptian-cotton shirt ($195) and silk tie ($100) by Thomas Pink.

WHERE IT COMES FROM

Brunello Cucinelli's Cashmere

CASHMERE IS AS INTEGRAL to the genetically conditioned Italian determination to enjoy life as beautiful women. And Brunello Cucinelli offers the Monica Bellucci of cashmere. Consider its source: the Umbrian hilltop town of Solomeo, near Assisi. The town was built in the late 14th century and over the past 20 years has been entirely restored by Cucinelli himself as a utopian vision. There's a castle (the company's headquarters), a farm converted into a cultural center and cafeteria, and a church. The complex houses the work-shops where the clothing--everything from overcoats to T-shirts, almost all of it in cashmere--is dyed, spun, woven, and stitched together. Cashmere heaven. Only the prices will bring you down to earth. Five-button cashmere jacket ($2,395), cashmere sweater ($995), cotton shirt ($345), and corduroy trousers ($370) by Brunello Cucinelli.

THE (UNLIKELY) STYLE ICON

Motorcyclist Eddie Mulder

(with help from designer Bill Amberg)

CALIFORNIA-BORN motorcycle racer Eddie Mulder won five AMA Grand National TT races for the British Triumph team in America during the '60s and numerous regional titles in endurance races before moving on to stunt work, where he doubled for the likes of Clint Eastwood and Peter Fonda. Bill Amberg, meanwhile, is a British leather-goods designer with a healthy obsession with motorcycles. Amberg's burgeoning business in luxurious suitcases and overnight bags, as well as custom luggage, allows him to indulge in unusual made-to-order projects, such as the capacious Eddie Mulder tribute bag he has designed for fall. It comes in the iconic color combinations of racing leather that Mulder introduced to the racing circuits of the early '60s. $995; www.billamberg.com.

THE DETAIL

PRADA DENIM'S STRIPE

It was first used in 1998 on the America's Cup yacht Luna Rossa and in the Prada Sport line that was inspired by it. Now it signifies the more casual end of the Milanese design house's output, which for fall includes deep-indigo denim jeans with authentic western copper rivets and a cinch-back detail on the waistband.

Cotton jeans ($415) by Prada.

A NAME YOU NEED TO KNOW

ELIE TAHARI

ELIE TAHARI MEN is what American fashion often does very well: dressed-up urban sportswear that won't stick out in the sticks. You don't have to think about it all that much; it just works. High points like this wool-flannel parka incorporate removable linings. Fabrications and construction guarantee a level of luxury and comfort that is rare in the middle price bracket. Unusual finishing techniques--washed leather and oiled nubuck--emphasize the relaxed feel of the clothes but also mark them as items produced more often by brands with far higher prices. Wool-flannel jacket ($998) by Elie Tahari Men.

How to Keep a Suit Forever

1. BUY SOMETHING CLASSIC--NOT TRENDY.

2. USE THESE INEXPENSIVE TOOLS TO MAINTAIN IT.

The Garment-Suspension Device

Every time you don't store your jacket on one of these (it's a hanger, by the way), you're cutting its life. Look for the same qualities in hangers as you do in your best pirate friends: a generous thickness to the shoulder and a strong metal hook.

The Rain Deflector

Even expensive designer suits these days use cheaper and less-labor-intensive fused linings to give the jacket the structure it needs. When it gets wet, it puckers and becomes misshapen. No amount of pressing can bring a suit back from this condition.

The Steam-Delivery Tool

You need to dry-clean a suit only once a year. Any more and the process can weaken it and ruin its shape. Steaming is the ideal solution for keeping the suit looking immaculate. (Steaming a suit while actually wearing a suit is not ideal at all. But it is amusing.)

The Bristled Cleaning Device

Your grandfather used a suit brush. He was a wise man. Far from being a pointless tool in the age of dry cleaning, the clothes brush (along with steaming) allows you to put off dry cleaning. Before brushing, air your suit near an open window and then lay it flat on a table.

THE ESQUIRE GUIDE TO LONGEVITY

The responsibilities start the moment you take a new piece of clothing home. It's now up to you how long it's going to last.

1) JEANS: Wash your jeans inside out to preserve the indigo dye on the surface and the structure of the cotton fibers. ADD 2 YEARS.

2) SWEATERS: Wash wool and cashmere by hand using only knitwear-specific detergents like Woolite. Dry flat, spreading the sweater out. ADD 2 YEARS.

3) TIES: Roll your untied ties rather than hang them. It allows the running stitch that constitutes the spine of the tie to relax. ADD 5 YEARS.

4) SHIRTS: Never dry-clean. Have them laundered and hand-ironed if possible. Less pressing means less wear and tear. ADD 2 YEARS.

5) SHOES: Own at least three good pairs for work. Never wear a pair more than twice a week. Use shoe trees. ADD 20 YEARS.

THE (STYLE) RULES

Rule No. 363: Before you wash your jean shorts, pretreat them by throwing them away. Rule No. 412: Wire hangers should be used only for breaking into cars. Rule No. 484: Although your girlfriend may appreciate that not washing your shirt makes it smell more like "you," your coworkers don't.